Second Grade Finalists

Red and small, happy and slick. Sees gray rocks sparkling sands with the moon rays. Moves in water like a flash of lightning.

River, you look mossy, mushy and unhappy. You have a hard, strong and big cement jacket. Still we thank you for our homes You provide in your rocky bottom.

- Andy Arnold and Samuel Cookson

River high River bright River gleam

River trees River swan River pond

River growlRiver howl River hoot

River snakes River house River faun

The river is gone River come back River sparkles again

- Jimmy Caponera

L.A. River in the Future

I see crystal clear water.I hear bluebirds chirping. I smell barbecue. I touch the water. I taste good food from my picnic lunch.

- Lorenzo Carpenter

The River of Happiness

The river was sad and cold one day, And a man walked by. He laid the blanket of love on it. He planted trees and took off the river’s cement jacket, And the love made it clean again. The river laughed with glee While the fish danced the tango beneath the happy river. The sun shone over the happiness. And the birds came back and said to me, “I love it here because of the river, the river, the river of glee.”

- Emilia Hagen

The Bird of the Night

When the waves splashed the bird had strong feeling in the river that is now just cemented in But the bird had strong feeling in the river and he still lived there.

- Ian McKnight

Pelicans peacefully walking catching lovely fish pelicans seeing happy pelicans diving in the river. Pelicans looking for fish in the river sitting on the rocks in the water. The river is swish swashing with pelicans.

- Nicholas Small

You are the beautiful river.

I feel that feeling that you felt, with the shimmering waters and the weeping willows.

They cry out in joy with the beautiful river.

Your cattails are singing and your willows are swaying. The river tucks the cattails and the willows to bed.

You are a beautiful river.

- Phoebe Tohl

These Great Blue Herons

Magic and gorgeous handsome and wonderful flying over a beautiful river of shimmering diamond droplets Landing on moist mossy shores. Having something delicious to eat. His exquisite mate comes with a big splash! Walking on the hardest rocks they can find to dance upon. Dancing and dancing on the speckled rocks His mate loves the river. Having the greatest time of their lives they wander finding places to spend the night.

- Veronica Whitman

Passing Down my Street

The shiny river made out of clouds Passing down my street. I always see you hiding there so let me take a peek. But then you go and I cry.

- Olivia Wilkey

A conversation with the Los Angeles River

Who did this to you? Why did your forest disappear? Is your forest lost? Where is the shade of your willow trees? Where are the gracefully waving cattails of your marshes? The steelhead trout gliding swiftly through glittering waters? How did you come to this disastrous, sad condition? Why did people do this to you?